Fireworks licensees must attend refresher courses

Fresh changes to fireworks regulations impose an obligatory refresher course every two years for enthusiasts who want to renew their licence.

The changes, published by means of a legal notice, aim to place more emphasis on the health and safety aspect of manufacturing fireworks, a practice plagued by yearly fatalities.

The course will also keep licence holders up to date on changes to laws and regulations and on new techniques and developments.

The legal notice also refers to a reduction of the size of loud petards, down by five centimetres to just four inches, as well as placing a ban on rooftop fireworks, known as musketterija, after 12.30 a.m.

The refresher course shall be held once every two years for all licence holders and will be followed by an interview, an oral test or both, administered by members of the Explosives Committee and the fireworks inspectors. Licence holders may also be required to sit for a written test.

The course applies to people in possession of licence A, who are usually the most experienced manufacturers; those holding a licence B, who also manufacture fireworks but who need to be supervised by someone in possession of licence A; as well as holders of licence C, required by people who let off fireworks.

Before the introduction of this amendment, licences were renewed automatically, without the need to attend any refresher course.

Those who obtained their licence before these regulations come into force may be called for their first refresher course within three years and will then have to continue attending such a course every two years.

Licence holders who fail the test will have their licence withdrawn until they do a re-sit. Those who fail the re-sit will have to apply for a licence from scratch.

Licence holders who fail to attend the refresher course, the interview or any other test, including a re-sit, will be presumed to be no longer interested in the licence, which will be withdrawn.

The changes covering the size of the loud petards, known as murtali tal-bomba, include the reduction of five centimetres in height and width, to 10 cm. This will automatically reduce their force and the nuisance caused.

Furthermore, the petards can only be let off within 20-minute periods, at either 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and at noon, and not more than six at a time during those periods.